Question
A Dream Within a Dream
by Edgar Allan Poe
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow—
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf–tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand—
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep—while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
–Public Domain
Multiple Choice Question
What impact does the difference between the ending of the first stanza and the ending of the second stanza have on the meaning of the poem?
A.
Moving from an assertion that life is a dream to a question of whether life has been a dream demonstrates how the loss of a loved one can cause some to question God's existence.
B.
Moving from an assertion that life is a dream to a question of whether life has been a dream demonstrates how as we near death, we are less certain of the meaning of life.
C.
Moving from an assertion that life is a dream to a question of whether life has been a dream demonstrates how as we age, we become confused about our memories.
D.
Moving from an assertion that life is a dream to a question of whether life has been a dream demonstrates how as we mature and evolve, we become less certain about what we thought we knew before.
by Edgar Allan Poe
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow—
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf–tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand—
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep—while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
–Public Domain
Multiple Choice Question
What impact does the difference between the ending of the first stanza and the ending of the second stanza have on the meaning of the poem?
A.
Moving from an assertion that life is a dream to a question of whether life has been a dream demonstrates how the loss of a loved one can cause some to question God's existence.
B.
Moving from an assertion that life is a dream to a question of whether life has been a dream demonstrates how as we near death, we are less certain of the meaning of life.
C.
Moving from an assertion that life is a dream to a question of whether life has been a dream demonstrates how as we age, we become confused about our memories.
D.
Moving from an assertion that life is a dream to a question of whether life has been a dream demonstrates how as we mature and evolve, we become less certain about what we thought we knew before.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct answer is:
**D. Moving from an assertion that life is a dream to a question of whether life has been a dream demonstrates how as we mature and evolve, we become less certain about what we thought we knew before.**
This interpretation aligns with the thematic exploration of uncertainty and introspection in the poem, as the speaker grapples with the nature of existence and the fleeting quality of life. The shift from a confident assertion to a questioning stance reflects a deeper complexity in understanding one's experiences as one matures.
**D. Moving from an assertion that life is a dream to a question of whether life has been a dream demonstrates how as we mature and evolve, we become less certain about what we thought we knew before.**
This interpretation aligns with the thematic exploration of uncertainty and introspection in the poem, as the speaker grapples with the nature of existence and the fleeting quality of life. The shift from a confident assertion to a questioning stance reflects a deeper complexity in understanding one's experiences as one matures.